September 18, 2007

In 1900, as a result of a malaria outbreak in Jonesboro (Craighead County), the Benedictine sisters at Holy Angels Convent founded what is today known as St. Bernards Medical Center. Money for the hospital came from several sources, including a form of medical insurance called “hospital tickets.” A person would be guaranteed admission to the hospital for one year upon purchasing a ticket, such as the one shown here, for the sum of nine dollars. From these humble beginnings, the hospital has become a major part of medical care in northeast Arkansas.